Q I am shooting quite well. I work very hard and try to stay totally focused, but I’m still missing targets – why?
Thomas Berry, Swindon
A This is probably due to ‘over trying’. This means that you are forcing your muscles and body to work to hit the clay instead of allowing the muscles and body to move.
There are two words that make all the difference to the way you are shooting. Trying and allowing – this could make the difference between hitting and missing.
Try using both words next time you’re on the range. Force yourself to move on to a hard right-hand target (left-hand if your a left-handed shooter) as this is the movement that is the most unnatural one, after a couple of forced shots, take a deep breath, totally relax and shoot the same target without any effort. Just put the gun in your shoulder, shout pull, and do nothing – your eyes will see the clay and tell your body to move, and then you shoot the target effortlessly and easily, and far quicker than your previous shots. It seems so easy that you may not realise that you have actually shot the target and are still looking for it!
Repeat the shot a few times until you can feel the difference between trying and allowing. Remember how it feels, as this is how you should shoot all your targets. It feels easy, simple and effortless. So why try? Just let it happen! Lesley Goddard
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